Modi Live: Rituals have begun and earthen lamps have been lit up in Ayodhya ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony for a Ram temple at the site of the demolished Babri Masjid. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend a ceremony on 5 August, when he will lay a 40 kg silver brick at the construction site. A total of 175 people have been invited for the event, out of which 135 are saints of that many sects. On the dais, there will be just five people – Narendra Modi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, trust chief Nritya Gopaldas Maharaj, Uttar Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath — in view of the prevailing social distancing norms due to COVID-19.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will spend nearly three hours in Ayodhya on Wednesday for the ‘karya prambh’ (ground breaking) ceremony for the Ram Temple. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will be a “special guest” at the event. Modi will offer prayers at noon at the makeshift temple where the Ram Lalla deity is currently placed, spending about 10-12 minutes there, as per the details of his itinerary emerging now. The chief priest of the temple, Mahant Satyendra Das, will not be present on the occasion as he is in quarantine, after two other priests tested positive for Covid-19 last week.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Offers Prayers at Ram Temple
As a priest chanted Sanskrit 'shlokas' and the ground-breaking ceremony got under way under a giant marquee decorated in shades of reds and yellows, Modi and the other dignitaries, all in masks, maintained social distancing and sat a safe distance away from each other.
Slogans of 'Bharat Mataki Jai' and 'Har Har Mahadev' went up as the ritual ended and the prime minister laid the foundation of the temple. Bhajans and 'shlokas' were heard as the town, festooned with marigold flowers and yellow and saffron flags, celebrated the beginning of the construction of a grand Ram temple. Roads leading to Ayodhya were adorned with hoardings of the proposed temple and of Ram Lalla, the infant Ram, the deity now housed in a makeshift temple. Most shops were painted in bright yellow.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes Sankalpa while performing the pooja
Here's what all PM Modi said at Ram temple event in Ayodhya
After performing the ‘bhoomi pujan’ of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday said the wait of centuries has ended and that India is creating a golden chapter in Ayodhya. Beginning his speech with ‘Jai Siya Ram’, the Prime Minister told the gathering that a grand temple will be built for ‘Ram Lalla’, the infant Ram, who had been living in a temporary tent for years. He said that the construction of the Ram temple is an instrument to unite the country.
Here are some of the top quotes from his address:
“India is creating a golden chapter in Ayodhya, wait of centuries ends today.”“Grand temple will be built for Ram Lalla who lived in a temporary tent for years.”
“Many people made sacrifices for Ram temple, I pay respect to all of them.”
“Ram temple construction in Ayodhya will lift the entire region’s economy.”
“Despite efforts to eradicate Lord Ram’s existence, he still lives in our heart and is the basis of our culture.”
“Ram temple construction is the instrument to unite the country.”
“Social harmony was the core principle of Lord Ram’s governance.”
“Ram is everywhere, Ram belongs to all.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed ‘pooja’ at Hanumangarhi and Shree Ramlala Virajman before performing ‘bhoomi pujan’ of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on Wednesday, informed Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Tuesday.
UP CM presents Lord Ram's idol to PM Modi in Ayodhya
Earlier chief minister Yogi Adityanath had said that 11,000 diyas will be lit at Ram Ki Paidi on the banks of the Saryu river and that all houses and temples in Ayodhya will be celebrating with a ‘deepotsava’ (festival of lights) on the nights of August 4 and 5.
Adityanath burst firecrackers and lit earthen lamps at his official residence on in Lucknow as part of ‘deepotsava’.
The construction work of Ram temple will begin after the foundation stone laying ceremony, in which dignitaries from various political and religious fields have been invited to participate.
Apart from Ayodhya other cities in like Kanpur were also illuminated to celebrate the grand event. Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) workers light earthen lamps in the city, as part of ‘deepotsava’.